Starring Joaquin Phoenix in his first role since winning the Oscar for Best Actor at the 92nd Academy Awards for Joker, C’mon C’mon explores family, grief, and personal trauma in this touching black and white film. 

When Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), a solitary radio journalist, is left to take care of his precocious young nephew Jesse (Woody Norman, in a breakout child performance), and they embark upon a cross-country road trip as Johnny interviews children, asking them what they think the future will hold. Over the course of the road trip, both Johnny and Jesse bond, come to understand each other and their complicated relationship, in this delicate and moving story from writer-director Mike Mills (Beginners, 20th Century Women).  

The films of Mike Mills are always autobiographical and C’mon C’mon is a fictional story that he wrote based on his close relationship with his child Hopper, which is beautifully shot, acted, and written.  

If We Picked the Oscars

In our opinion, the parenting drama C’mon C’mon should have been nominated for Best Original Screenplay by the Academy and its autobiographical background shows how personal this film is to the director, Mike Mills.

Programmed and written by FACETS Film Program Director, Charles Coleman.